Patriots Beat: Answers few & far between in camp

So here we have the Patriots' latest foray into "just trying to get better" after they left a funny taste in the mouths of their faithful with Thursday's 23-6 preseason defeat in Washington.

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By Tim Whelan Jr.Daily News staff

MetroWest Daily News, Framingham, MA

By Tim Whelan Jr.Daily News staff

Posted Aug. 12, 2014 at 8:04 PM
Updated Aug 12, 2014 at 8:15 PM

By Tim Whelan Jr.Daily News staff

Posted Aug. 12, 2014 at 8:04 PM
Updated Aug 12, 2014 at 8:15 PM

» Social News

FOXBORO — So here we have the Patriots’ latest foray into "just trying to get better" after they left a funny taste in the mouths of their faithful with Thursday’s 23-6 preseason defeat in Washington.

Last week in Richmond, Va., NFL Network analyst Mike Mayock said that Patriots backup quarterback Ryan Mallett "popped" and that he looked like a QB ready to start for many teams in the league. That bubble, of course, burst for a night with Mallett’s lackluster first half in that loss to the Redskins.

Preseason games, defeat or otherwise, are like those dreams you have already forgotten by 8 a.m. the following morning.

After a week in Richmond, Va., with the Redskins, the Patriots’ Tour de NFC East has returned home this week, continuing with the Philadelphia Eagles in Year 2 of Chip Kelly’s chemistry experiment.

The teams will practice together over the next two days as well in advance of Friday’s preseason game at Gillette Stadium (7:30 p.m.), with Wednesday’s session being the final one of training camp open to the public.

Perhaps it is partly the proximity of Philly to Phoxboro, or just a ravenous appetite for football around here given the current state of other matters Boston sports, but Tuesday’s two-and-a-half-hour practice drew a single-session record 25,317 people to see the Patriots and Eagles give it a go in practice. There were likely times at the old Sullivan Stadium that a similar number showed up to an October game.

The practice fields, and the hills around them, behind Gillette Stadium were a fight for elbow room on Tuesday. Earlier this month, Eagles cornerback Cary Williams did his part to perhaps ensure there would be a few more spectators than expected. He had been kicked out of a practice during last year’s joint session in Philadelphia after a fight with Aaron Dobson.

"They are cheaters," Williams told the Philadelphia Inquirer earlier this month, referring to the Spygate scandal that erupted in 2007. "I give them all the credit in the world, but one fact remains: They haven’t won a Super Bowl since they got caught."

Before Monday’s practice, Patriots head coach Bill Belichick was asked about Williams’ comments. He didn’t take the bait.

"You should talk to him about it," Belichick said.

A Baltimore Raven from 2009 through 2012, Williams had three interceptions in his first year with the Eagles in 2013. On Tuesday, he made a few plays in 1-on-1s before being notably beaten on a deep ball during 11-on-11s by Kenbrell Thompkins on a ball thrown by Tom Brady.

As camp settles in to a rhythm of "day by days," "stringing good days together," and "happy to be out heres," a little vitriol can go a long way in stirring the proverbial pot.

Page 2 of 2 - Maybe it was the air of football optimism after Tuesday's seemingly incident free practice, though, as Williams had nothing but praise to heap on the Eagles' hosts.

"Tom Brady’s a wonderful quarterback, he’s a guy that’s a future Hall of Famer and he’s a great leader," he said. How about any jawing with the receivers?

"No. Those guys are class acts," he said. "I’ve got a lot of respect for this organization, especially the players that play within it. They’ve got a great history. It is what it is, I can’t knock that. They’ve been playing at an elite level, a well-known playoff team. As far as I’m concerned, we’re trying to work ourselves into those ranks that they’ve gotten themselves into. So, we’re just going to come out and compete. That’s what it’s about."

Why the change of heart?

"I’ve always had respect for them," he said. "Not that I didn’t respect those guys at the beginning. I made a statement, and that was that."

Okay, then. That’s how the training camp and the preseason can go, where predicting game results, playing time, training camp attendance, or what may or may not come out of a player’s mouth can be exercises in futility. Even if you were one of the 25 grand in attendance on Tuesday, it’s best to keep expectations on all manners to a minimum in August.

Feel free to raise them again come September, when more conclusions can be drawn. Until then, enjoy what’s left of training camp fodder.

Tim Whelan Jr. can be reached at 508-626-4402 or twhelan@wickedlocal.com. Follow him on Twitter @thattimwhelan.